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Overhead shot of sliced chai spiced shortbread cookies stacked on a wooden board with visible cinnamon flecks and golden edges.

Easy Baked Sugar-Free Chai Spiced Shortbread Cookies

Buttery slice-and-bake shortbread spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and clove, sweetened with a powdered sugar substitute instead of sugar.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 133
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 227 g unsalted butter / 1 cup; softened
  • 100 g powdered sugar substitute (erythritol or monk fruit blend) / 3/4 cup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 280 g all-purpose flour / 2 1/4 cups
  • 30 g cornstarch / 1/4 cup
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Method
 

Make the Dough
  1. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sweetener with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and cloves.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two batches, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms with no dry streaks of flour left.
Shape and Chill
  1. Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a log about 5 cm / 2 inches wide on a sheet of plastic wrap, twisting the ends to seal.
  2. Chill the logs in the fridge for at least 60 minutes, until firm enough to slice cleanly. Soft dough will smear instead of cutting into neat rounds.
Slice and Bake
  1. Heat the oven to 163 C / 325 F and line a sheet pan 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch with parchment paper.
  2. Unwrap the chilled logs and slice into rounds about 1 cm / 1/3 inch thick with a sharp knife. Arrange on the sheet pan, spacing them 2.5 cm / 1 inch apart.
  3. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the edges turn light golden and the centers still look pale and matte.
  4. Cool the cookies on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.

Notes

  • Powdered sweetener blends into fat more evenly than granular, use a food processor to grind it fine if yours is coarse.
  • Dough logs must feel firm, not just cool, before slicing.
  • Bake one test cookie first if you're unsure about your oven's true temperature.
  • Cloves are strong, measure with a proper 1/4 tsp rather than eyeballing.